Porcelain, bone china, and stoneware vessels created by internationally- known ceramicist Bill Hunt and one-of-a-kind furniture pieces crafted by his wife, Liz Hunt, will be paired with paintings by Belgian-born artist Micheline Daemen for the upcoming “Art At the Mill” exhibit opening Friday, April 29 at historic Bear’s Mill. An opening night artists’ reception will be held from 6:30 p.m. till 9 p.m.; the exhibit will continue through Sunday, May 22.

Bill Hunt, editor of Ceramics Monthly magazine for 22 years and currently teaching at Columbus College of Art and Design, believes that function and aesthetics are equally important to the success of each piece he creates. He also knows that ceramics works live on for thousands of years past the lifetime of the artist. “Large bowl forms that can be hung on the wall or used on tabletops find themselves in the center of celebrations and family gatherings,” the artist states. “To think that my work could find appreciation during such events for another forty or fifty thousand years not only inspires but also motivates my work,” he concluded.

Having grown up on an Ohio farm, Liz Hunt says that the furniture she creates is a collaboration with nature which seems innate to her. “Connection with the natural world was a part of everyday life for my entire family, and this has always shaped the way I look at objects and interact with them,” the artist explains. Her favorite materials are personally harvested; she uses willow, walnut, wild cherry, and oak for her unique creations. The Ohio State University graduate has worked as a visual arts teacher for the past twenty years, currently teaching for Hilliard City Schools, while maintaining her studio career.

Micheline Daemen arrived in the United States in 1986, accompanying her husband to his latest corporate assignment. The couple enjoyed this country very much, and after a short stint back in Europe, returned to Troy, Ohio, in 2005, where they say they intend to reside “forever.” Micheline’s art education began in her native Belgium when she was just 15; the painter has earned numerous awards in Belgium, France, and the United States. “I share with viewers the memories of homes that I have had and the many countries that I have had the privilege to visit,” Micheline stated. She uses a variety of figurative styles to beautifully recreate her diverse memories, evoking nostalgia and longing in those who view her work.

Bear’s Mill is operated by the Friends of Bear’s Mill, a non-profit organization, and is located at 6450 Arcanum-Bear’s Mill Road about 5 miles east of Greenville. Construction work impacting access to the bridge just north of the Mill will continue for several weeks; however, the bridge is currently open on weekdays after 3 p.m. and at all times on weekends. Access to Bear’s Mill from Route 571 is not affected by work on the bridge. For more information, contact Bear’s Mill at 937-548-5112 or www.bearsmill.com.

Giving back to the community is exactly what several of the employees of Wayne Industries are currently doing throughout Darke County Parks. Over the past month, 14 individuals from Wayne Industries dedicated several hours towards the Adopt-A-Park Program at one of the in-town Darke County Parks. Alice Bish is located off of Ohio Street in Greenville and is shining even brighter after these enthusiastic individuals came with hand pruners, rakes, shovels, and brooms. They cleaned the dead growth out of the entrance sign bed, raked and swept the parking lot and the black top Greenville Creek Trail, along with picking up several bags of litter along the park entrance. During their visit at Alice Bish, they enjoyed seeing several spring wildflowers along with hearing sound of spring from the diverse species of birds located along the State Scenic River Greenville Creek.

A huge thanks goes out to all those who assisted along with their site supervisor, Mark Middlecoff, for adopting Alice Bish. Keep up the wonderful job that you have done! It is encouraging to see young individuals willing to donate time to the Darke County Community.

If you are interested in volunteering or have questions please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Laura Schwieterman at lschwieterman@darkecountyparks.org or 937.548.0165.

Oakley House, a senior living community by Assisted Living Concepts, Inc., will host a free CEU seminar for area nurses and social workers titled, “Introduction to Pain” on Thursday, April 14th at 7:00 p.m.

Oakley House, located near the intersection of Russ Road and Northview Drive, promotes independence and individuality, while providing seniors with extra assistance in their daily routine. Residents enjoy the freedom and advantages of living independently in an environment surrounded by friends and a caring staff. Oakley House is located at 1275 Northview Drive in Greenville.

For more information about the CEU seminar or Oakley House, contact the Residence Director at 937-548-9521 or visit www.alcco.com.

>Easter means a lot of things to many people – Flowers, bunnies, Easter egg hunts, family get-togethers, Marshmallow Peeps! All of these are great. But you and I know Easter is foremost a celebration of God raising Christ from the dead.

But today, is that such a big deal? What difference does it make? And if I do believe it, why should I be a part of a church, and especially First United Methodist Church? I invite you to come on Sunday, April 24th at 9:30 A.M. to consider three questions: Why do I need Christ?Why do I need the Church?Why do I need THIS church?

I cannot wait to share this Easter message with you.

As much as we enjoy Easter, we will appreciate it all the more when we participate in the services leading up to that day:

April 17th, 9:30, Palm / Passion Sunday. Our Chancel Choir presents the Easter Cantata, Come Walk With Me, by Pepper Choplin. April 21, 6:00 PM. Maundy Thursday. On this night, Jesus gave his community a new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you.” This is a service of Love. We will share a simple supper of soup, followed by a service, and ending with Holy Communion and the traditional stripping of the chancel. Reservations are required. Call 937-548-3075. April 23, 8:30 PM. Easter Vigil. A traditional service since the very beginnings of the Christian Church, we call this The First Service of Easter. We begin outside with the lighting of the New Fire, followed by a procession into the dark sanctuary, led by our new Easter Candle. Once in the sanctuary, we light individual candles as a testimony of the risen Christ in our lives. We will hear the stories of our salvation history from the Old and New Testament. April 24, 9:30 A.M. RESURRECTION! After worship we will have donut holes, coffee, juice, and an indoor Easter Egg Hunt for children. Sunday School is cancelled to allow for family time after Easter.

All are welcome to any and all these happenings. Christ the Lord is Risen!

>Greenville, OH –In honor of this year’s participation in the March of Dimes Walk on April 30th, Oakley House, a senior living community by Assisted Living Concepts, Inc., will host an Open House on April 20th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Along with tours of Oakley House, Amedisys Home Healthcare will be presenting information on April 20th on “Diabetes, Blood Pressure and Pulmonary Hypertension.”During the events, Oak House will be raising money for March of Dimes. The goal is to collect enough dimes to fill a baby crib. Donations given to the March of Dimes goes towards research and programs regarding Parkinson Disease, Epilepsy, Diabetes, Hearing loss, Pulmonary Hypertension, Alzheimer’s Disease, Learning disabilities, and more.

Oakley House, located near the intersection of Russ Road and Northview Drive, promotes independence and individuality, while providing seniors with extra assistance in their daily routine. Residents enjoy the freedom and advantages of living independently in an environment surrounded by friends and a caring staff. Oakley House is located at 1275 Northview Drive in Greenville.

For more information about Oakley House or to schedule a tour, contact the Residence Director at 937-548-9521 or visit www.alcco.com.